I know..that's the one I read. Sigh!! Additional work with food prep! I barely have time for work anymore, because I'm spending so much time with food prep and exercise! It has paid off, but not much work is being done!

But, the alternative is to spend more time at work and deteriorate! :B

I do soak and dry, it seems to make a difference for me. I had a patient once who had horrible stomach pains every afternoon. She thought it was stress. We went over what she ate during the day and it turned out she ate 7 raw walnuts every morning. I told her about soaking and drying and all that. She stopped eating the walnuts altogether, proper preparation being too much trouble, but her stomach completely cleared up without the walnuts..... 8)

All the health benefits aside, pecans, peanuts. almonds and walnuts are OUT OF THIS WORLD FLAVOR WISE, when you soak and roast them. I am a religious soaker. I did it though because of the health benefits. But pecans, I kid you not, taste like butter. BUTTER! Don't you agree Henriette? The almonds and peanuts just taste better than they already do. Which is weird because I'm already in love with them without doing all that. But they're better. Walnuts REALLY benefit from it because the bitterness is gone, which I think is there with walnuts, and they become more oily. Oh man. I could eat buckets of all of these all day long.

I have never soaked and roasted macadamia nuts though. Or cashews. But I don't eat neither of those as frequent as I do the other four I mentioned.

Try it. You haven't lived until you've had them this way. Seriously. ;)

I also soak all my grains the way they tell you to. And I find they digest MUCH MUCH MUCH better. FWIW.

that is great resource and i think more vegetarians out there should read it ;) :Dgreat reading I am inspired to whip up something delish that is cultured and amazingly good for me !

Posted by: LovetoRead, Thursday, May 13, 2010, 1:00pm; Reply: 14

I had tried soaking and drying nuts in the oven (pine nuts, pecans, macademia) and honestly, they came out terrible and I'm not sure why. My son, who loves nuts, didn't like them either. Ilooked into a dehydrator, but the stainless steel ones are expensive and I would not purchase a plastic one due to chemicals leaching into the food. I had read that if you purchase the nuts already roasted that you don't have to worry about the phytic acid. So I just buy roasted nuts. Can anyone confirm or deny that claim for me???

Interesting though...I have not soaked and THEN roasted nuts....maybe that would be better. Could someome explain how exactly to roast them? In a pan on the stove....what setting and how long?

Posted by: JJR, Thursday, May 13, 2010, 3:30pm; Reply: 15

I soak mine all night. I put some salt in with the water. About a teaspoon for every 24 oz of nuts. Then I strain in the morning. I spread mine out on a serving plate, normal ceramic type or my silpat and roast them all day at 150 degrees.

If you don't think they taste better. Something is wrong. ;D :) Especially with the walnuts. Of course I'm a prop taster and possibly a super taster, so I might taste the bitterness more than others might, if they're not soaked.

If you try to do this with already roasted nuts, it will turn out bad. They have to be raw, with nothing done to them.

The problem with buying them already roasted is they aren't soaked usually. And they usually add cottonseed/canola/soybean or some kind of oil I don't want.

Posted by: christaalyssaA+, Thursday, May 13, 2010, 4:46pm; Reply: 16

I can't bring myself to eating and enjoying nuts. My mom soaks almonds all the time. She says it makes the nutrition in them more biogenetically available... or something like that.

As an A - Warrior type I should be eating more nuts and seeds. It's just not something I'm into eating. Maybe that'll change with time. *crosses her fingers* I also have been trying to get myself to eat artichokes. That not easy either. I would if it was just the heart and it was marinated, but that is usually done in vinegar of some kind.

lol Just ignore me... I'm just complaining. Something I hate when others do it. haha

Posted by: LovetoRead, Thursday, May 13, 2010, 4:46pm; Reply: 17

Hmmm, that's how I did it, but I didn't put them in the oven for the whole day.....just maybe several hours. Maybe they didn't dry out enough. And I didn't try walnuts....I did pecans, pine nuts and macademia. But even after a few hours at 150, the pecans started to turn dark, almost burnt. So I'm not sure I could do it all day. :-/

I always thought roasting involved putting them in a pan on the stove with oil at higher temps. ??) Maybe I will have to try it again. Maybe use the bottom rack in the oven instead of the middle one.

Thanks!

Posted by: christaalyssaA+, Thursday, May 13, 2010, 4:48pm; Reply: 18

Oh... one more thought... I can understand soaking raw nuts. By why would you purposely cook them after soaking them? Cooking kills a lot of the good nutrition in things. Correct me if I'm wrong on this. Thanks. I'm a taster/super taster also. Maybe my problem with nuts being bitter is because I need to soak and roast them. HMMM, interesting!

Oh... one more thought... I can understand soaking raw nuts. By why would you purposely cook them after soaking them? Cooking kills a lot of the good nutrition in things. Correct me if I'm wrong on this. Thanks. I'm a taster/super taster also. Maybe my problem with nuts being bitter is because I need to soak and roast them. HMMM, interesting!

I had tried soaking and drying nuts in the oven (pine nuts, pecans, macademia) and honestly, they came out terrible and I'm not sure why. My son, who loves nuts, didn't like them either. Ilooked into a dehydrator, but the stainless steel ones are expensive and I would not purchase a plastic one due to chemicals leaching into the food. I had read that if you purchase the nuts already roasted that you don't have to worry about the phytic acid. So I just buy roasted nuts. Can anyone confirm or deny that claim for me???

Interesting though...I have not soaked and THEN roasted nuts....maybe that would be better. Could someome explain how exactly to roast them? In a pan on the stove....what setting and how long?

You don't have to soak white nuts like the macadamia nut. Roasting deals with the enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid but I believe it comes with a price... I don't think buying roasted nuts is any better than eating raw nuts since they are usually cooked with bad oils.

I only soak brown rice, quinoa and buckwheat overnight. I've tried soaking some nuts and seeds but it's hard to get them dry and crispy again without the proper equipment. IMO they taste better after soaking. When I tried to dry them in my oven they didn't get crispy after 14 hours! Yes, I left them in there for so long, but at a extremely low temperature to save the nutrients.

**GROSS ALERT**

Does anyone know if it's normal for the nuts and seeds to come out in the same form they went in (white pieces in stool)? Seems to happen every time I consume any type of nut or seed. Soaked or not. I really want to eat them again, but it feels like they are hurting me...

Does anyone know if it's normal for the nuts and seeds to come out in the same form they went in (white pieces in stool)? Seems to happen every time I consume any type of nut or seed. Soaked or not. I really want to eat them again, but it feels like they are hurting me...

Are you aware that each mouthful of food should chewed a lotbefore swallowing?

Yes I am, I chew my food really thoroughly and don't drink any fluids with meals. I've tried HCL supplement but I felt burning sensation which means that I have strong stomach acid, so that can't be the problem. Type Os should have a strong digestive system... I've tried enzymes as well which didn't help either so I'm not sure what's going on.

Posted by: JJR, Thursday, May 13, 2010, 9:18pm; Reply: 25

Well, whatever chunk you see that is white, didn't get chewed. I don't see white chunks in my stool from eating nuts, fwiw. I don't always chew as much as I probably should, but I'm a pretty fanatic chewer. It helps.

Hmmm, that's how I did it, but I didn't put them in the oven for the whole day.....just maybe several hours. Maybe they didn't dry out enough. And I didn't try walnuts....I did pecans, pine nuts and macademia. But even after a few hours at 150, the pecans started to turn dark, almost burnt. So I'm not sure I could do it all day. :-/

I always thought roasting involved putting them in a pan on the stove with oil at higher temps. ??) Maybe I will have to try it again. Maybe use the bottom rack in the oven instead of the middle one.

Thanks!

Are you using a thermometer inside of your oven? Because my oven is almost 35-40 degrees hotter than what it shows on the dial. I bought a cheap thermometer you hang or set on the rack and I go by that. I wouldn't trust any dial without confirming with an "in oven" thermometer. My guess is that's your problem. One time I took them out and then cooked something else in the oven. I put them back in and the temperature had not dropped back down to 150. I think it was in the 200 or so range. In a short amount of time, they were toast. No good. So, yeah, even just a little bit higher than 150 is probably not good. In fact, you could probably do a lower temperature. But I find at 150, walnuts take about 8 hours or more. And pecans. It also depends on how close they are together.

And as far as killing the enzymes in the nut? I don't know, 150 degrees is a pretty low temperature. It's basically just drying them out and it's mimicing what ancient peoples did by setting them out on rocks to dry out.

Yes I am, I chew my food really thoroughly and don't drink any fluids with meals. I've tried HCL supplement but I felt burning sensation which means that I have strong stomach acid, so that can't be the problem. Type Os should have a strong digestive system... I've tried enzymes as well which didn't help either so I'm not sure what's going on.

Nuts and seeds are difficult for some people to break down and absorb. That's why I mentioneda lot of chewing....so the nut particles mix with saliva and turn completely into a liquifiedmass. The pieces you see obviously weren't chewed enough.

People who see undigested particles in their stool have malabsorption..a common problem withpeople who have celiac. But if that were the case, you'd also see undigested grains...other foods.If it's just the nuts and this is all that you don't seem to digest, then you might do better witha nut butter or to do way more chewing.

Posted by: ruthiegirl, Thursday, May 13, 2010, 9:46pm; Reply: 28

I first read about this years ago, but I never quite got my act together enough to try soaking and drying nuts. I wonder if it would help DD1 digest nuts. I've never personally had a problem with "regular" nuts, but DD1 gets stomachaches from "concentrated food" such as nuts and/or dried fruit.

Posted by: narnia, Thursday, May 13, 2010, 10:45pm; Reply: 29

Before the BTD, I used to see corn in my stools. That was the only thing I ever remember seeing. Seeing that it's an avoid, I guess my body couldn't use it.

Posted by: narnia, Thursday, May 13, 2010, 10:47pm; Reply: 30

Are the plastic dehydrators bad, really? I have one that I haven't used in a long time. I don't see how it could leech into the food, if it's on such a low temp., and it's mostly air circulating, and the nuts are solid entities....

Posted by: TJ, Friday, May 14, 2010, 1:27am; Reply: 31

Yeah, I'm always seeing little bits of things in mine, too. I have no doubt I have mal-absorption problems, as skinny as I am, and as much trouble with fatigue as I have.

I just finished cooking some quinoa that I've been soaking all day. I has a nice mild flavor. At first I just added some lemon juice for acidity, but then I added some whey from my yogurt to get some fermentation. It smelled sort of like sourdough bread when it was done soaking.

I also soaked a big batch of almonds. I'm letting them sit out on the counter in a cookie sheet to dry. I'm sure they won't dry completely, but that's fine.

Posted by: AKArtlover, Friday, May 14, 2010, 8:47am; Reply: 32

"I have often noticed that raw nuts have bothered my stomach slightly, and that I could not eat very many of them without getting an aversion to them. But once I started soaking and dehydrating them, I found, to my delight, that I could handle them very well. Not only that, but I found that they had a much better texture and flavor. There have been several times when I have gotten pumpkin seeds, for example, and tasted them unsoaked and thought they didn’t taste very good. But after soaking them in salt water overnight and dehydrating them, they tasted great. I was hooked.I would like to introduce you to the concept of why you should soak you nuts and how to do it.

Why Should I Soak Nuts?Unlike grains, nuts contain smaller amounts of phytic acid. Their real issue for us is having high amounts of enzyme inhibitors. These enzymes are useful to seeds and nuts because it prevents them from sprouting prematurely. But they can really strain your digestive system (which is probably why my body was reacting to them raw).

"I have often noticed that raw nuts have bothered my stomach slightly, and that I could not eat very many of them without getting an aversion to them. But once I started soaking and dehydrating them, I found, to my delight, that I could handle them very well. Not only that, but I found that they had a much better texture and flavor. There have been several times when I have gotten pumpkin seeds, for example, and tasted them unsoaked and thought they didn’t taste very good. But after soaking them in salt water overnight and dehydrating them, they tasted great. I was hooked.I would like to introduce you to the concept of why you should soak you nuts and how to do it.

Why Should I Soak Nuts?Unlike grains, nuts contain smaller amounts of phytic acid. Their real issue for us is having high amounts of enzyme inhibitors. These enzymes are useful to seeds and nuts because it prevents them from sprouting prematurely. But they can really strain your digestive system (which is probably why my body was reacting to them raw).

I'm going to be making my daughter a cake for her birthday and I was wanting different ideas. I have a pretty good healthy cake recipe I got off of here but I didn't have good icing. The ganache looks really good on there. Oh Man. I think I found a new favorite website. I'll be looking through all of the recipes. Is that your website????

Posted by: Lola, Friday, May 14, 2010, 6:10pm; Reply: 34

;)

Posted by: ABOALL, Saturday, May 15, 2010, 5:59am; Reply: 35

Maybe you need to try nut butter which has no form of "white pieces' ??)

Would someone please tell me if the plastic dehydrators leech into the nuts being dried?

That's a contentious subject. Personally, I don't think it makes much, if any difference, but many others here disagree. You will need to make you own analysis of the costs and benefits of using a plastic dehydrator!

Posted by: narnia, Saturday, May 15, 2010, 6:15pm; Reply: 40

:o I just looked up stainless and it was so expensive compared to the plastic ones!! Well...I can see how if I were to make jerky or dry moist fruits and such, it may make a diff, but for now, since all I'll be doing are nuts, I guess I'll just stick with the plastic one that I have.

Yes! I have been convinced now that I need to soak and dry my nuts now. Thanks, all , for your input!

Would someone please tell me if the plastic dehydrators leech into the nuts being dried?

I have no idea either. I went with an Excalibur without stainless. I got silicone sheets. I'm using it for superlow temperatures anyway. I have heard that stainless cookware can leach as well. Nickel and ??? Some nickel showed up in my urine challenge. Don't know how. Wore cheap earrings when I was younger as well, so maybe...

Our bodies are amazing, they deal with so much. I always do my best to remember how powerful the human mind and body are--sometimes it's too easy to get caught up in all the negative things man has done that is abusive to himself. Especially when you learn things that you can't unlearn, you know?

I do my best to be a good steward of what I've been blessed with. The rest I take on faith. :)

Posted by: Victoria, Saturday, May 15, 2010, 6:54pm; Reply: 42

Very helpful thread, and so many great posts! Thanks, everyone! It all finally makes sense. :-)

Posted by: JJR, Sunday, May 16, 2010, 7:40pm; Reply: 43

I use the silpat sometimes and other times I just use a large serving plate. Ceramic. I think that's probably the safest. I personally wouldn't want to use a plastic thingy. But then again, silicone? (another thread ;D) So..... You make your choices and do your best. I don't get rid of metals and toxins very easily, so I'm kind of a fanatic on those issues. I get weird looks when I'm out in public with a glass container of water. I reuse the ones that I bought that good organic juice in.

Posted by: AKArtlover, Monday, May 17, 2010, 6:46am; Reply: 44

I like the ceramic idea. Simple. Free. Now I have to go hunt down a silicone thread? Don't tease me like that... ;D

I bought some "Fuze" bottles a long time ago when they were glass just to use for water. My mom downed one I hadn't open the other day even after I told her they were over a year old and lost all their artificial coloring. :o

Had to laugh to myself. She'll get it when she gets it.

The irony-- that I am concerned about what I am drinking my water out of and she is happily oblivious.

Get tired of wasting my breath sometimes. Letting it go. May as well laugh.

Relationship dynamics. :)

Posted by: balletomane, Monday, May 17, 2010, 7:07am; Reply: 45

strato, it could be something else... maybe mucous or old toxins that you are passing. When I was going through a pretty intense detox period, I had what I thought were almond pieces in my stool, LOL! But nowadays when I eat the same soaked almonds, I don't have the same problem. I'm still curious as to what was in my stool back then, but am just glad it's not there anymore.

I do have a question about soaking seeds and nuts. I do soak almonds but do not dehydate them. Just eat them directly after peeling. I usually put pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds and walnuts in my salad. With all this talk about soaking and drying nuts, I wonder if there is actually any serious harm if I eat the seeds without soaking. I already spend quite a long time shopping for and preparing food, and can't afford to spend more time with this long and slow procedure. Can someone enlighten me please?

Posted by: AKArtlover, Monday, May 17, 2010, 7:30am; Reply: 46

I think the issue is that the unsoaked nuts have enzyme inhibitors (that prevent the nut from sprouting) that can interfere with digestion. (Which is really stinky if you are already having digestive issues.)

When they are soaked, they "wake up" or begin the sprout process. Just like if it was out in the ground. The seed begins it's growth. I think this may activate certain enzymes in the nuts that could be really good...I would have to research this more. Rinsing away the enzyme inhibitors after soaking makes them easier to digest.

The dehydrator is for quick drying so the nuts do not grow mold. If you were making a sauce or nut butter, or eating right away (if you like the texture), you would not dry them.

I think the issue is that the unsoaked nuts have enzyme inhibitors (that prevent the nut from sprouting) that can interfere with digestion. (Which is really stinky if you are already having digestive issues.)

I guess I can just soak the amount I plan to eat the next day, and then rinse them and put them in my salad. I don't have a dehydarting machine nor the time to stay home and keep an eye on the oven all day long.

Really? I didn't know that! I import most of my raw nuts from the U.S., and the brand of raw almonds I buy is NOW. Maybe I should go back to the more expensive, German imports that I find in my grocery store.

Oops! I didn't mean physically stinky. I meant "no fun" but I would think things that aren't digested well could be real stinky too. :)

Posted by: balletomane, Monday, May 17, 2010, 8:51am; Reply: 49

;D

Posted by: JJR, Monday, May 17, 2010, 5:29pm; Reply: 50

AKArtlover: about your Mom, you can't convert everyone. Especially if they don't feel like they need it. You know? I tell people what I do and let them decide for themselves. It is hard when you're close with someone.

balletomane: You don't have to watch them. I don't. I stick mine in the oven before leaving for work. And don't even think about it until I get home. It's fine. Yes, it's more work. For me, it's worth it. Completely.

Posted by: narnia, Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 6:11am; Reply: 51

Wow!! I didn't know that about the almonds, either!! So now...where can I buy my almonds from??????!!!!!! ??)

AKArtlover: about your Mom, you can't convert everyone. Especially if they don't feel like they need it. You know? I tell people what I do and let them decide for themselves. It is hard when you're close with someone.

Yeah, it's hard. Especially because she has so many health ailments and says she wants help and wants to get off 18 meds. Sometimes I think it's all talk. Sometimes I just think she needs the right "white coat" in front of her. She has been going to our chiropractor and really respects him. I joked with my husband--if I ask him to tell her something I've already told her-- she is likely to come back to me and present it as new information and think it's the greatest. She has some information processing issues too. Have a lot of compassion for her; it's so easy for me to see the reasons both physical and emotional.

Just have to lay off, be patient, mention things casually. See what happens... And laugh in the meantime. Better than crying. ;) Focus on my life, doing the best I can for me. Be the example.

Posted by: JJR, Thursday, May 20, 2010, 3:56am; Reply: 53

I feel for you. I have a few people like that in my life. And I don't do well with them. I usually try and avoid them. They drive me up the wall. I'm learning to be more patient, but it's not easy.

Wow!! I didn't know that about the almonds, either!! So now...where can I buy my almonds from??????!!!!!! ??)

I haven't sourced raw almonds yet. You might try a health food store or a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's and read the labels.

Posted by: Shelley, Thursday, May 20, 2010, 9:31am; Reply: 56

This is a very helpful thread. I appreciate learning that I can soak other raw nuts besides almonds, and, also the reminder about soaking grains. I had forgotten about that.

AKArtlover: 'Rinsing away the enzyme inhibitors after soaking makes them easier to digest.' Thanks for this tip. I usually soak a handful of raw almonds most days, but then just pour off the soak water and eat them. I didn't know I was supposed to rinse.

(smile)

Posted by: balletomane, Thursday, May 20, 2010, 11:55am; Reply: 57

Same here. I didn't know I had to rinse the almonds after soaking them. Now thanks to this thread I have gone out and found raw almonds from Germany and also rinsed them before eating :). I even tried dehydrating them along with some soaked walnuts and pumpkin seeds in the oven today. The almonds and walnuts turned out to be delicious with a nice crunchy texture. But the pumpkin seeds obviously require a longer time but I was in a hurry so I had to eat them soggy :-/

Posted by: JJR, Friday, May 21, 2010, 8:15pm; Reply: 58

You know, I never rinse mine after soaking. Hmmmmm...... :o ;D I gotta see what the book says on that.

If you have to dry them, try to soak them only one hour (they don't necessarily need longer time). I don't know if that would help, but I hope so.

Posted by: ecstasy, Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 6:04am; Reply: 64

I was reading a thread about soaking nuts.. and now I learn that it's better to soak nuts before eating.

I just have a few questions.

Once I soak them, can I drain them and let them dry and then stick them back in the container? Or do I have to leave them in the water until I eat them.Or can I soak them, then take them out of the water, and just stick them in the fridge until I want to eat them? And how long do they last in the fridge? And should I soak them in just plain water?

Thanks.. sorry so many questions, haha

Posted by: Lola, Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 7:00am; Reply: 65

yes to all.....try some acidulated water if you wish.....added lemon juice is what it is.... :)

Posted by: Cristina, Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 7:37am; Reply: 66

I usually soak them in water with a bit of sea salt and sometimes lemon juice, drain them and dry them in my dehydrator (EziDry) ... I used to dry them in a very low oven overnight before I got the EziDry ... The most I soaked my nuts have been 24hrs ... any longer may affect the taste, I think someone had that experience before, but it could have been a batch of bad nuts too ;) :)

Wondering why you don't soak macadamias? I have soaked them in the past, but was disappointed as they lose their buttery taste & come out tasting much like coconut... ??)

Posted by: Possum, Saturday, March 31, 2012, 6:04am; Reply: 68

Wanted to add here - it is intriguing that when I searched on Typebase re macadamia nuts, their original country of discovery/cultivation is listed as Tasmania :-/ Growing up there, I find that interesting, as they would take far longer to produce, due to the cooler temperatures & I think only one variety grows there...although, according to one source, it was first grown only for ornamental purposes so that may explain it??) :-/ macadamia nut Definition in the Food Dictionary at Epicurious.comhttp://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/entry/?id=3349

Posted by: purlgirl, Monday, April 2, 2012, 2:58am; Reply: 69

Really good information here,

I just put my walnuts in water. Little confused -- is salt necessary or a good idea? I didn't see salt mentioned on the chart link

Flax --- so its a good idea to soak and dry them befor grinding???

Posted by: Spring, Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 7:34pm; Reply: 70

Quoted Text

From ChloeAre you aware that each mouthful of food should be chewed a lot before swallowing?

You sound like my mother, Chloe! She never nagged, but she gently reminded us to chew, chew, chew!!! We called her Sheriff Talcum Powder when we were teenagers!

This is an older thread, but it was hard for me to find so I thought I would bring it back since we are talking about soaking and dehydrating again! (Do we ever stop talking about it??!!) ;D

I have my first walnuts soaking right now! I have never noticed nuts bothering me in any way, but I am all for delicious food, and you make this sound just that!(hugegrin)

Does anyone know if it's normal for the nuts and seeds to come out in the same form they went in (white pieces in stool)? Seems to happen every time I consume any type of nut or seed. Soaked or not. I really want to eat them again, but it feels like they are hurting me...

Are the plastic dehydrators bad, really? I have one that I haven't used in a long time. I don't see how it could leech into the food, if it's on such a low temp., and it's mostly air circulating, and the nuts are solid entities....

I think it depends on the exact type of plastic...I have a plastic one as well...must check it out!Either way, I would think that to dry fruit (acid) would be more likely to leach plastic out than drying nuts...

Posted by: Spring, Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 9:34pm; Reply: 74

Can I dehydrate these things in my convection oven at 150 degrees?! I haven't been able to find anything in my book about it! HELP!!!!

I guess it depends on whether you want the enzymes to still be active... Most raw proponents say that anything over about 100 degrees will kill the enzymes...

If you don't care about the enzymes, then there is no problem with drying them at a higher temperature, as long as you don't burn them...

I started to do a correction on that temp but I thought someone mentioned 170 degrees. My convec. will actually work down to 100 degrees. So that should work just fine, I hope! Thanks!!----Oh, and I want all the enzymes I can get!! I know a 92 year old man who has been careful about his diet for decades, and he is a great believer in enzemes, as he calls them! We are always cautioning each other about getting those enzemes!! (smile)

Can I dehydrate these things in my convection oven at 150 degrees?! I haven't been able to find anything in my book about it! HELP!!!!

Spring, am cross posting something I wrote on another thread because it's relevant to your question (the key is keeping your oven door cracked open during the drying process) ...

Quoted Text

Alternately, if you don't have a dehydrator, you can accomplish pretty much the same thing by setting your conventional oven to its lowest setting (most are 170-degrees but some of the newer ones will allow you to adjust them even lower). Let the oven warm up to temperature with the door closed and, in the meantime, lay out the walnuts single-layer on one or two cookie sheets. Once your oven has warmed to temperature, place cookie sheets on oven racks and leave oven door cracked open two to three inches. This should allow a gentle heat to evaporate the walnuts without destroying their enzymes or harming their flavor (actually, I find that soaking and dehydrating really enhances the flavor while minimizing any inherent bitterness).

Spring, am cross posting something I wrote on another thread because it's relevant to your question (the key is keeping your oven door cracked open during the drying process) ...

You can see now where I posted that it will work at 100 degrees. Thanks for setting me straight, though, about how you can actually do this with an oven that gets too hot! You would think that I would have finished reading your whole post after I printed it out!! I can't wait to try these things! Glad I am "sort of" getting this together! Thanks, again! :D

My walnuts turned out totally delish! Maybe beginner's luck, but I'm satisfied with that for now!!! Thanks for all the help, y'all!! (smile)

Posted by: BHealthy, Sunday, September 16, 2012, 7:15pm; Reply: 83

I am resurrecting this thread to add some info I just learned and to ask one additional question.

How I prepare our nuts:

If you soak them and then don't dry them thoroughly before returning them to their original container, they will mold. I learned this the hard way. Now, I dry them for as long as I soak them. If I soak for 2 days, I dry for 2 days. I use our oven and set it to 118f. Pumpkin seeds seem to take longer to dry -- a 4 hour soak may require 2 days in the oven. I dust them with cayenne and/or garlic powder and/or cumin and roast until I no longer detect any moisture in the nut.

Regardless of how long I soak the nuts, I change the water every 8 hours, rinse thoroughly, and add a little Himalayan salt each time. I use the water from my Reverse Osmosis filter as I don't want any of the chemicals and contaminants in tap water leaching into my nuts.

The reason we are advised to soak nuts is to remove phytic acid which strongly inhibits mineral absorption in adults and interferes with enzymes we need to digest our food. Nuts are higher in phytic acid than either beans or grains.

Based on research done with chickpeas, soaking will remove some but not all of the phytic acid. Dehydrating and then roasting will remove the rest IF you roast at 140f or higher. Supposedly, that temperature does not alter the nature of the delicate oils in the nuts but it will kill some of the other nutrients.

My SWAMI lists only "walnuts" as a diamond. It does not specify "walnuts, soaked" as it does for both lentils and pinto beans. Nor does it specify that they should be either raw or roasted. LR4YT states walnuts are beneficial for every blood type because they inhibit ODC. Which part of the walnut inhibits ODC?

When I soak walnuts, they lose most of their bitterness. Do they then also lose most of their benefits? Is the bitterness the reason walnuts are so beneficial?

The Whole Foods website goes on to say that the vitamin E in walnuts is the more unusual and beneficial gamma-tocopherol AND that, "Some phytonutrients found in walnuts - for example, the quinone juglone - are found in virtually no other commonly-eaten foods. Other phytonutrients - like the tannin tellimagrandin or the flavonol morin - are also rare and valuable as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. "

Are any one, or all, of these the mechanism by which walnuts inhibit ODC? Does soaking remove the phenols as well as the phytates? Do the quinones, tannins and flavonols also leach into the soaking water? This site, http://nutgourmet.wordpress.com/category/nut-studies/, says it's the tannins that give walnuts their bitterness and that they are removed by soaking.